I have several questions related to the methods for working with stucco (EIFS) on remodels or additions.
I have an all stucco home and plan to add a pergola over a portion of the deck. This involves attaching a ledger board to the exterior stucco wall of the home, the outer portion of the pergoal will be supported by posts and beam. Also plan to add a narrow pergola over the garage door supported by a ledger board and brackets instead of posts.
1.What is the best way to fasten the ledger and brackets to the stucco surface?
2. How can it be flashed or sealed appropriately to prevent water penetration behind the stucco? Is high qulaity caulk along the top seam adequate?
Also an interior room remodel will involve replacing several windows with smaller windows. Can an experienced stucco applicator match the color and texture of the existing stucco to fill in the area vacated by removal of the larger windows?
Thanks for any insight you can offer!
Sam
Replies
I won't get into questions 1 and 2, but I do have some advice re; stucco repair.
If you repair to the existing aged stucco surface around the windows, it will crack in a straight line before the new stucco even cures.
If you cut back to a virgin stucco surface, it will still crack and in an easily visible straight line.
If you use a hammer and a large pair of Channel-Locks to break and crush the old stucco back in a jagged, ragged line, preserving the existing wire lathe to bond the new lathe to, it may not crack at all, and if it does, the cracks will be much shorter and not in a straight line and therefore much less visible. Needle nose and a vacuum are handy too.
Detach the lathe from the studs as much as possible so the new paper can be slipped behind the old at the top and sides. In front of on the bottom.
In any case, insure that the new stucco has a chance to cure for at least14 days between coats and keep it moist for those 14 days. This will greatly help prevent cracking.
Another tip to help with appearances, is to use a grinder or belt sander w/30grit to remove the color coat in an uneven line for about a foot outside the patch area.
Removeing the CC allows the stucco guy to get the new brown coat flush with the old, and allows the new CC to cover any microcracks in the old surface around the repair.
Keeping the edges of the new surface uneven makes it harder to discern the line between new and old.
SamT